Academic Advising & Support

Within the Division of Student Development, Le Moyne’s academic advisement is a mission-driven program that links the coordination of the academic advising needs of students with support for faculty in their roles as academic advisors and mentors. To support this mission, the College’s Academic Advising Committee, made up of faculty and administrators, has designed a developmental advising program that encourages a close working relationship between advisor and advisee throughout a student’s time at Le Moyne.

With a professional academic advising team led by the Assistant Dean for Academic Advising and Engagement, the Center supports students through comprehensive advising programs tailored to the needs of students at distinct developmental stages, including programs for first-year and transfer students and students who have not declared a major, as well as comprehensive orientation programs¸ a first-year advisement program, tutoring and writing assistance, residential and curricular learning communities, international student advising and pre-professional advising (pre-health and pre-law).

The Center’s purpose is to help Le Moyne students succeed in college by providing them with services and support that allow them to create meaningful connections with peers and faculty within and outside the classroom while enhancing their intellectual, social, and personal development. The Center for Academic Advising and Support is located in 342 Reilly Hall. Inquiries about academic accommodations for students with disabilities can be directed to the Office of Disability Support Services, located on the first floor of the Noreen Reale Falcone Library.

The Center for Academic Advising and Engagement

While it is integral to Le Moyne’s mission for faculty and administrators to encourage students to seek their assistance, sometimes students are at a crossroads and need additional, immediate, or more intensive support for academic success. Students can also experience extenuating personal circumstances during their time at Le Moyne that will affect their academic performance and their life at the College. For that reason, the Center also operates an Office of Student Outreach and Engagement. Its director serves as a student advocate who is an ombudsman for student concerns and who supports faculty in their connections with students. The director can be reached at (315) 445-4275 or at (315) 445-4597.

While it is the Center’s intention to foster a supportive relationship between the advisor and the student, the advisor and the student each share a responsibility to develop that relationship. Advisors can provide guidance and mentoring to help students make informed choices. However, the students are ultimately responsible for meeting the requirements of their degree programs.

Students should meet on an individual basis with their advisor several times each semester. Both individual and group meetings are quite important, especially prior to registration, as academic advisors must review the students’ proposed schedules and approve them for student registration on WebAdvisor. These meetings also allow for discussions about the student’s major/minor, possible internships, and career planning. Some departments schedule group advisement to inform students about activities and new classes in the major while others offer special programming and events regarding major-related topics, e.g., departmental research opportunities and internships

Pre-fall Enrollment – Advising for first-year students begins prior to the first day of classes. Once students choose Le Moyne College, they receive a First-year Student Guide and access to an Online Advanced Registration System (OARS) that prepares them for a one-day “Summer Welcome” where they will meet their first-year advisor, complete their fall course schedule and take important placement tests. This pre-college program is designed to acquaint students and their parents primarily with the academic aspects of the first-year experience.

Summer Welcome is followed by an extended, four-day “Fall Arrival” just prior to the beginning of classes in which first-year students have an opportunity to get to know each other as well as our faculty, administrators, and student leaders before current students arrive. Fall Arrival is based on Le Moyne’s four ideals of Spirit, Inquiry, Leadership, and Jesuit. On Inquiry Day, first-year students devote time to academic issues including advisement, attend an academic fair, discuss their first-year Common Reading, meet their personal librarian, and gain an understanding of what is expected of them academically.

First Year of College – In the fall, the First-year Advisement Program links academic advising to participation in AVS 101, a required one-credit, graded First-year Advisement Seminar. AVS 101 assists first-year students in developing the skills necessary to make valuable decisions throughout their academic career and in their transition to college. Faculty in the student’s major serve as both the student’s first-year advisor and AVS 101 instructor, creating opportunities for frequent interaction between advisor and advisee. First-year students who are undeclared have advisors especially skilled to assist them in self-assessment and major exploration. The First-year Advisement Seminar enables students to plan their academic careers while also encouraging them to explore their scholarly interests, to define their needs and talents, and to increase their awareness of, and commitment to, Le Moyne’s mission.

Departmental Advising – The Departmental Advisement Program assigns faculty advisors to sophomores, juniors, seniors and transfer students. Each student is advised by the department chair of the major or a faculty designee of the chair. Transfer students who are undeclared are advised by the assistant dean for academic advising and engagement. Students who remain undeclared in their sophomore year may continue to be advised by either their first-year advisor or the assistant dean.

Le Moyne students are encouraged to take advantage of the free services offered by the Academic Support Center (ASC). Located on the first floor of the Library, the ASC provides tutoring, study groups, individual consultations, learning strategies assistance, and workshops for all students seeking to improve their academic performance. The ASC also coordinates the academic support services for students with disabilities and students on academic probation.

The Office of Disability Support Services, located on the first floor of the Library, arranges academic accommodations for eligible students with disabilities under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact disability support services as soon as possible to ensure that academic accommodations are made available in a timely manner. Written documentation attesting to the existence of the disabling condition and signed by a licensed professional is required before academic accommodations can be implemented. For more information, contact the office at (315) 445-4118.

Le Moyne College is pleased to offer, and strongly encourages students to participate in, learning communities. Proven to enhance the college experience, learning communities enable new first-year students to engage in unique academic and social opportunities with their peers and faculty during the critical time of transition to college. Several options are available for first-year student participation. Residential, learning communities based on various disciplines or themes (such as biological sciences, teaching, performing arts or leadership) give students the opportunity to live with others who share similar interests and enroll in two or more key courses together as a group. Typically, the course content emphasizes the theme of the particular learning community. Learning communities also offer study groups for these linked courses. Students in learning communities often participate in out-of-class experiences as well including field trips and service learning activities. Learning communities engage students in and out of the classroom and build early, strong relationships between students and their peers and faculty. Research has shown that learning community students generally perform better academically, experience higher levels of satisfaction with their college experience, engage as student leaders and persist through graduation. Learning community options vary each academic year based on student interests and faculty availability. Please visit our website at www.lemoyne.edu/learning_communities, call (315) 445-4277 or email devettr@lemoyne.edu for current options or with questions.

Le Moyne College provides its international students support regarding their immigration status. All undergraduate and graduate students who are studying at Le Moyne under the direction of an F-1 student visa receive assistance on issues such as maintaining status, employment, practical training, etc. They are also required to attend an international orientation upon their entrance into Le Moyne. This session provides students with valuable information regarding immigration regulations. Due to immigration guidelines, all F-1 students must complete their immigration registration paperwork during the first two weeks of each semester. In addition, they are required to maintain full-time enrollment and meet all other immigration regulations. Contact the Director of Student Outreach and Engagement for more information, call (315) 445-4624 or email cudaal@lemoyne.edu.

The chair of the Health Professions Advisory Committee (HPAC) serves as the principal advisor for those students and alumni interested in the health professions. Information sessions for prospective applicants to professional schools begin as early as the fall semester of the freshman year. For those applicants who choose, members of the committee evaluate undergraduate credentials and formulate official college letters of recommendation. Contact Dr. Beth Pritts, Chair of the Health Professions Advisory Committee, for more information at (315) 445-4431.

Health Professions Advisory Committee

The Health Professions Advisory Committee functions to advise and assist students interested in pursuing careers in the health professions. The committee chair serves as an information source and as the principal advisor for those interested in professional fields such as dentistry, medicine, optometry, podiatry, veterinary medicine and other allied health care fields. The chair furnishes general information regarding professional school admission requirements and entrance examinations and also conducts informational meetings for prospective applicants to professional schools. For those applicants who so choose, the members of the committee evaluate undergraduate credentials and formulate official college letters of recommendation. The committee also assists students enrolled in the different affiliation programs between Le Moyne College and health-profession schools (refer to Undergraduate Transfer Programs for descriptions of these programs). Further information regarding the committee and its functions may be obtained from the chair of the committee, Dr. Beth Pritts at (315) 445-4431.

Pre-Law Advisement

The director of pre-law education serves as the principal advisor for those students and alumni interested in careers in the legal profession. Information sessions for prospective applicants to professional schools begin as early as summer orientation and registration when the director of pre-law education meets with entering students and their parents. The director is also chair of the Pre-Law Committee. For those applicants who choose, the members of the committee prepare an official college letter of recommendation. Contact John Freie, Chair of the Pre-Law Committee for more information at (315) 445-4467.

Pre-Law Committee

The Pre-Law Committee counsels and assists Le Moyne students and alumni who are interested in pursuing careers in the legal profession. The committee provides information on law school, sponsors visits from law school admissions personnel, conducts informational meetings for Le Moyne students and prepares an official college letter of recommendation on behalf of each applicant who requests one. Further information about the committee and its services may be obtained from the director of the committee.

The Advisement Process at
Le Moyne College

Academic advising at Le Moyne College begins far in advance of the arrival of the new student on campus. It continues as an important component of your academic life throughout your time at Le Moyne. Learn how the advisement process builds as you proceed through your coursework at the College.